Eatery featuring Cambodian dishes such as fish curries & kebabs in a down-to-earth setting.
Hours
| Friday | 11 AM–1:30 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | 11 AM–1:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–1:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–1:30 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–1:30 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 923 Oakland Rd, San Jose, CA 95112
Phone: (408) 287-7619
Website: http://chez-sovan.cafe-inspector.com/
Menu Photos
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Chez Sovan – San Jose, CA – Full Menu, Reviews, Photos
Welcome to Chez Sovan – 923 Oakland Rd, San Jose, CA. Low prices, excellent and prompt service. We are waiting for you!
San Jose’s Most Legendary Cambodian Restaurant (Chez Sovan)
Eating at The MOST LEGENDARY CAMBODIAN RESTAURANT in SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA at CHEZ SOVAN! Timestamps of Video: 0:00 – Preview of Full …
Chez Sovan, 923 Oakland Rd, San Jose, CA 95112, US – MapQuest
923 Oakland Rd, San Jose, CA, 95112. Chez Sovan is a small Cambodian restaurant known for its delicious offerings, including amok, chicken curry, beef and …
Reviews
Tim
Finally got to try this spot after years of having it bookmarked due to the very limited days and hours of operation. Came in on a Fri at 11:45 am and we were the first ones. Small/medium sized restaurant with tables of all sizes. I don’t think they have AC/heater. It is literally a hole in the wall. The place got completely packed by 12:30 pm. It’s a 2 person show, but they are efficient and the food comes out relatively quickly. Funny guy. Not much service after you receive your food though, especially once they get busy. Pay at the register rather than table after eating. Parking is free and wasn’t difficult in the residential area nearby
Small, simple menu. We ordered 2 beef kabob skewers $5 each, amok $18.50, yellow curry with chicken $18.50, ginger fish $18.50, stir fried eggplant with tofu $18.50, large rice $5. Every dish was fantastic. Great flavors, not too salty or greasy. Just wish the dishes were spicy. Skewers were tasty, just a bit pricey for the portion. They didn’t have pork available at the time. Amok was good, but not mind blowing. The ginger fish was our favorite. Crispy yet soft and flavorful. Yellow curry was good, but seemed more like a soup since the curry was so watery. Generous amount of chicken and other ingredients. The eggplant was our least favorite because it was super sweet, but that’s our personal preference. Generous portion though
Overall, quality tasty food, reasonable prices, and good portions. I would go back, but since the menu is so small (it changes), I won’t be rushing back
… moreSmall, simple menu. We ordered 2 beef kabob skewers $5 each, amok $18.50, yellow curry with chicken $18.50, ginger fish $18.50, stir fried eggplant with tofu $18.50, large rice $5. Every dish was fantastic. Great flavors, not too salty or greasy. Just wish the dishes were spicy. Skewers were tasty, just a bit pricey for the portion. They didn’t have pork available at the time. Amok was good, but not mind blowing. The ginger fish was our favorite. Crispy yet soft and flavorful. Yellow curry was good, but seemed more like a soup since the curry was so watery. Generous amount of chicken and other ingredients. The eggplant was our least favorite because it was super sweet, but that’s our personal preference. Generous portion though
Overall, quality tasty food, reasonable prices, and good portions. I would go back, but since the menu is so small (it changes), I won’t be rushing back
Jayden “Uehara” Sisang
This is a gem of a place. Consistently my go-to place for Fish Amok and Kebabs. Delicious. Ginger fish as well. Owner + staff are lovely, funny people. Always a comforting, inexpensive, and quick meal.
… moreAlbena Kantardzhieva
A modest little spot that punches well above its weight. The Fish Amok, Cambodia’s beloved steamed fish curry cooked in coconut milk and aromatic spices — is light, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. You can tell it’s made with care and pride. The atmosphere is casual and the service friendly.
… moreLindsay Franušić
Absolute hidden gem. From the outside this place looks a bit sketchy, and I have driven by it for years and never gone in. I can’t believe i have debrief myself of this amazing food for so long!
The flavors of the food are insane. So fresh and absolute harmony in your mouth. I am still thinking about the dressing on the cabbage salad days later. The fish amok is a must have. The lemongrass flavor pairs so well with the fish. The pan fried noodles were ok, but not my favorite. Felt like it needed a bit more spice or lime.
I cannot wait to go back and try more dishes!! If you have been driving by this place thinking you should check it out—DO IT. your tummy will be so happy!
… moreThe flavors of the food are insane. So fresh and absolute harmony in your mouth. I am still thinking about the dressing on the cabbage salad days later. The fish amok is a must have. The lemongrass flavor pairs so well with the fish. The pan fried noodles were ok, but not my favorite. Felt like it needed a bit more spice or lime.
I cannot wait to go back and try more dishes!! If you have been driving by this place thinking you should check it out—DO IT. your tummy will be so happy!
Vincent Tang
2/19/2025 @ 11:45am, very sociable owner. Would have liked more for the price. Food flavors are tasty. On the street parking makes it difficult to for parking.
… moreCharles S
Delicious authentic food, genuinely kind service from the owner, no frills.
… morePoonam Bhat
My uncle has been a customer of this restaurant since 38 years and highly recommended this place to us for our lunch . We ordered the cabbage salad sans tofu , we were blown away by the salad dressing , the dressing was delicious and an explosion of herb flavors , had right amount of tanginess and sweetness. The slaw was crisp and fresh . Ordered eggplant with tofu and the Sovan sauce was so yummy. Another family member ordered chicken kabab and chicken stir fried rice noodles, both of which were cooked to perfection.The portions are very generous.
My iced coffee with condensed milk had sweet notes to it, and spot on to beat the summer heat. Food was very light and not too oily . All the dishes had very fresh herbs. It was worth the 20 min drive to this restaurant. Ambience was very South East Asian. Bryan, the owner and host was very friendly and helped us with our vegetarian food options . He and his wife are very customer service oriented.
The only negative is the lack of parking in the neighborhood. Best to Uber/carpool to this place.
Highly recommend this restaurant for a soothing lunch experience.
… moreMy iced coffee with condensed milk had sweet notes to it, and spot on to beat the summer heat. Food was very light and not too oily . All the dishes had very fresh herbs. It was worth the 20 min drive to this restaurant. Ambience was very South East Asian. Bryan, the owner and host was very friendly and helped us with our vegetarian food options . He and his wife are very customer service oriented.
The only negative is the lack of parking in the neighborhood. Best to Uber/carpool to this place.
Highly recommend this restaurant for a soothing lunch experience.
Clement
Everything about this place is absolutely great! Well I guess, I could wish for longer hours but it’s not a deal breaker. This is definitely a hole in the wall joint only open for 2-3hrs every weekday for lunch. I’ve already almost had everything on the menu by my second visit, and I have to say everything I’ve had is good.
Three dishes stand out to me more than the rest, the Amok, grilled ginger fish, and stir fry noodles. Personally, I’ve never had anything like the Amok and after having it here, I’ve been missing out. Grilled ginger fish is easily the best thing they serve here, a must order every time. The stir fry noodles remind me very much of pad thai and I quite like it, especially the noodle texture. One other game changing tip, you must ask for fish sauce + chili (it’s def spicy). Huuuuge game changer.
The owner is extremely polite and energetic with every customer. Makes the dining experience that much better, he has also hooked it up with some extra curry when we asked to box up our leftovers! Just a small gesture, but something I always appreciate and remember.
… moreThree dishes stand out to me more than the rest, the Amok, grilled ginger fish, and stir fry noodles. Personally, I’ve never had anything like the Amok and after having it here, I’ve been missing out. Grilled ginger fish is easily the best thing they serve here, a must order every time. The stir fry noodles remind me very much of pad thai and I quite like it, especially the noodle texture. One other game changing tip, you must ask for fish sauce + chili (it’s def spicy). Huuuuge game changer.
The owner is extremely polite and energetic with every customer. Makes the dining experience that much better, he has also hooked it up with some extra curry when we asked to box up our leftovers! Just a small gesture, but something I always appreciate and remember.
Joan Lopez
What a great spot! Our daughter loves this place so we were excited to try it out. We came as a party of 6 and the service was helpful , fun and friendly. We had the cabbage salad, beef, skewers, ginger fish, curry and rice. The food is very fresh and homemade. The humble cabbage salad was a favorite and the ginger fish was excellent.
We’ll be back.
… moreWe’ll be back.
Mikaela Gutierrez
I want to visit Chez Sovan again and again with my family and my friends!
Food/Drinks: Amok, Chicken Curry, Cambodian Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk
• Amok – Although the basa fish was not served in a banana leaf like I was expecting (perhaps they may be expensive!), it being in its sauce made me excited to try it! A part of my first meal of the day, my initial bite of it pleasantly shocked my taste buds—steamed, melt-in-your-mouth fish with a sweet and savory flavor. We even ended up taking our little bit of leftover sauce home to eat with rice!
• Chicken Curry – This bright orange curry with the colors of the chicken, potatoes, and carrots peaking through was a sight to behold that helped wake me up! It had a flavorful, comforting taste with spices that warmed my body. We took our leftovers home and even were given extra to go with it!
• Cambodian Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk – Served with a spoon of condensed milk to mix the coffee with, I was glad to have another refreshment besides water! It had a balanced flavor with the bitter coffee and the condensed milk for sweetness. I just wish I had a bigger serving!
• We were also offered a variety of candy for dessert!
Service/Ambiance: Feels like a home and a close community
• Bryan welcomed us in and immediately we felt his amazing aura—funny, kind, and like a cool uncle. He recommended dishes to us and throughout our lunch he made us laugh and made sure we were taken care of. It felt like him and his family welcomed us with open arms and served us a home-cooked meal!
• Numerous customers came in and made themselves comfortable—conversing with Bryan and their usuals being known by him, walking around, sitting close to the kitchen; we could tell that they were regulars! There were also customers whose older family members recommended Chez Sovan to them—of course, Bryan remembered who they were when they were brought up in conversation. And, like us, there were first-time customers who have seen and heard positive reviews of the restaurant and are now a part of the family—it is now our turn to pass on the torch!
Parking: Somewhat difficult to find parking
• We parked on Madera Avenue, a street in the bordering neighborhood, which Chez Sovan is at a corner of. There is a small parking lot close to the restaurant with limited spaces; it was full when we arrived there on a Thursday right before opening time at 11 a.m.
… moreFood/Drinks: Amok, Chicken Curry, Cambodian Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk
• Amok – Although the basa fish was not served in a banana leaf like I was expecting (perhaps they may be expensive!), it being in its sauce made me excited to try it! A part of my first meal of the day, my initial bite of it pleasantly shocked my taste buds—steamed, melt-in-your-mouth fish with a sweet and savory flavor. We even ended up taking our little bit of leftover sauce home to eat with rice!
• Chicken Curry – This bright orange curry with the colors of the chicken, potatoes, and carrots peaking through was a sight to behold that helped wake me up! It had a flavorful, comforting taste with spices that warmed my body. We took our leftovers home and even were given extra to go with it!
• Cambodian Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk – Served with a spoon of condensed milk to mix the coffee with, I was glad to have another refreshment besides water! It had a balanced flavor with the bitter coffee and the condensed milk for sweetness. I just wish I had a bigger serving!
• We were also offered a variety of candy for dessert!
Service/Ambiance: Feels like a home and a close community
• Bryan welcomed us in and immediately we felt his amazing aura—funny, kind, and like a cool uncle. He recommended dishes to us and throughout our lunch he made us laugh and made sure we were taken care of. It felt like him and his family welcomed us with open arms and served us a home-cooked meal!
• Numerous customers came in and made themselves comfortable—conversing with Bryan and their usuals being known by him, walking around, sitting close to the kitchen; we could tell that they were regulars! There were also customers whose older family members recommended Chez Sovan to them—of course, Bryan remembered who they were when they were brought up in conversation. And, like us, there were first-time customers who have seen and heard positive reviews of the restaurant and are now a part of the family—it is now our turn to pass on the torch!
Parking: Somewhat difficult to find parking
• We parked on Madera Avenue, a street in the bordering neighborhood, which Chez Sovan is at a corner of. There is a small parking lot close to the restaurant with limited spaces; it was full when we arrived there on a Thursday right before opening time at 11 a.m.